UK Government Sets Out First National Plan to Address PFAS Pollution

The UK government has introduced its first national policy framework to address PFAS, a group of persistent chemicals, with the plan published on 3 February 2026. The new measures respond to widespread detection of PFAS in water, soil, and consumer products across England.

The PFAS Plan sets out actions for enhanced monitoring of estuaries and coastal waters, including sampling of sediments and invertebrates. It also includes new testing of food packaging, such as microwave popcorn bags and pizza boxes, to assess PFAS presence.

To improve understanding of PFAS in the environment, the plan supports soil sampling at five different locations in England. The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs stated that these steps aim to strengthen data on PFAS distribution and exposure routes.

A consultation is scheduled for later in 2026 to consider introducing a statutory limit for PFAS in public water supply regulations in England. This follows the Drinking Water Inspectorate’s decision in August 2024 to set a cumulative limit of 100 ng/L for 48 PFAS in drinking water, effective from January 2025.

What the numbers show

• More than 10,000 high-risk PFAS-contaminated sites have been identified in England
• Cleanup costs in the UK could reach £428 million annually, or up to £9.9 billion per year if emissions continue
• In July 2025, 110 out of 117 water bodies tested in England exceeded proposed PFAS safety limits
• PFOS levels in fish were found to average 322 times above planned wildlife thresholds
• In August 2024, 90% of UK respondents said controlling PFAS is very important

The Environment Agency has been monitoring PFAS in surface and groundwaters since 2014, with PFOS found widely in water bodies. In 2023, the International Agency for Research on Cancer upgraded PFOA, a type of PFAS, to a human carcinogen.

Research efforts are ongoing, including a UKRI-funded programme called UNSaFE, which involves citizen science to track PFAS in water and wildlife. Another UKRI project is examining the sources and ecological impacts of PFAS, with both projects receiving over £4 million combined in funding.

Parliamentary scrutiny has increased, with the Environmental Audit Committee launching an inquiry into PFAS risks and regulatory management in 2025. The committee invited submissions on the issue by 26 May 2025.

Public concern over PFAS is high, as reflected in a YouGov survey from August 2024. The survey found that 90% of respondents viewed controlling PFAS in food, water, and the environment as very important, and most respondents indicated that both chemical manufacturers and the government should be responsible for reducing PFAS levels.

* This article is based on publicly available information at the time of writing.